English Vocabulary Dictionary | Word Meanings, Definitions & Examples
used to express amusement, surprise, or triumph
"Ha! I knew you couldn’t resist joining us."
a regular practice or behavior, especially one that is hard to give up
"She has a habit of drinking tea every morning."
The process of creating a habit through regular practice and repetition.
"Habit formation requires consistency and discipline."
Suitable to live in; capable of sustaining life.
"Scientists are searching for habitable planets beyond our solar system."
An inhabitant; a person or animal that lives in a particular place.
"The habitants of the village were friendly and welcoming."
The natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism.
"The rainforest is the natural habitat of many rare species."
The destruction or disappearance of natural environments where organisms live.
"Habitat loss is one of the biggest threats to butterflies."
The natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism.
"Scientists envision habitats on the Moon."
Done or doing constantly or as a habit; customary.
"He was a habitual latecomer to class."
to accustom someone or oneself to something through frequent exposure or experience
"City life has habituated him to constant noise."
a customary condition or mode of life; habitual practice
"He lived in a quiet habitude, avoiding the noise of the city."
to cut or chop roughly; to gain unauthorized access to a computer system
"The programmer managed to hack into the system."
the hairs on the back of an animal’s neck that rise when it is angry or alarmed; figuratively, feelings of anger or resentment
"His rude comment raised my hackles."
a horse kept for ordinary riding or hire; also used for something overused or trite
"The old hackney was still pulling the carriage."
A taxi; a car licensed to carry passengers for hire
"I called a hackney carriage to get to the airport."
Used too often and therefore lacking originality or freshness.
"The speech was filled with hackneyed phrases that failed to inspire the audience."
an ugly old woman, especially a vicious or malicious one; a witch
"In the fairy tale, the wicked hag lived alone in a cottage deep in the forest."
Looking exhausted, unwell, or worn out, especially from fatigue or suffering.
"After working all night, she looked pale and haggard."
To argue persistently, especially about the price of something.
"They spent hours haggling over the price of the car."
Excessively flattering or idealized, often in a biography or portrayal of someone.
"The documentary was criticized for its hagiographic portrayal of the leader."
To call out to attract attention or to praise enthusiastically.
"The athlete was hailed as a hero after the victory."
a violent storm with hail falling from the sky
"The hailstorm damaged many cars in the parking lot."
the fine threads growing from the skin of humans and animals
"She has long, black hair."
a thin piece of metal or plastic used to hold hair in place
"She used several hair pins to secure her elegant updo."
the act or style of cutting hair
"I got a haircut before the wedding."
a person whose job is to cut and style hair; barber or hairdresser
"The haircutter gave me a neat and stylish haircut."
a person whose job is to cut, style, and treat hair
"The hairdresser gave me a stylish haircut before the wedding."
calm, peaceful, and happy; denoting a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful
"She often reminisces about the halcyon days of her childhood."
strong and healthy, especially of an elderly person
"Despite his age, the man remained hale and active."
one of two equal parts of something
"He ate half of the cake."
poorly thought out or badly planned
"The manager quickly rejected his half-baked proposal."
lacking enthusiasm or determination; unenthusiastic
"His halfhearted attempt to study did not bring good results."
at or to a point equal in distance between two points
"We met halfway between the two towns."
a large room or building for public gatherings, events, or passage
"The graduation ceremony was held in the university hall."
a typical characteristic or feature of someone or something
"Honesty is the hallmark of a good leader."
to honor as holy; to make sacred or greatly respected
"The ancient temple was hallowed by centuries of worship."
regarded as holy or greatly respected
"They walked across the hallowed halls of the old university."
to see, hear, or sense things that are not actually present, often due to illness or drugs
"After taking the medicine, he began to hallucinate strange shapes."
a false perception of objects or events, usually caused by mental illness or drugs
"After the medication, he began to experience vivid hallucinations."
a corridor in a building that connects rooms
"The kids left their shoes in the hallway."
to stop or bring to a stop
"The train suddenly halted at the station."
slow and hesitant, especially due to lack of confidence
"She gave a halting reply during the interview."
clumsy or inept in handling things or situations
"His ham-handed attempt to fix the computer made it worse."
a small rural settlement, smaller than a village; a small community
"The tiny hamlet nestled in the valley had only a dozen houses and one small church."
a tool with a heavy metal head used for breaking things or driving in nails; to hit something forcefully with a hammer or similar object.
"He used a hammer to fix the broken chair."
to prevent or slow down the progress of something; also, a basket with a lid, typically for laundry.
"Heavy rain hampered the construction work."
a tendon at the back of the thigh; as a verb, to cripple or severely restrict the effectiveness of someone or something.
"Budget cuts hamstrung the organization’s plans."
crippled or severely restricted in movement or progress.
"The team was hamstrung by lack of resources."
the part of the body at the end of the arm used for holding things
"She raised her hand to ask a question."
Physical activities designed to strengthen, stretch, and improve the flexibility of hand and finger muscles.
"Regular hand exercises are essential for muscle recovery."